Safety harness or strap for ski boots

ABSTRACT

A strap arrangement for ski bindings that includes a vertical member or portion as well as an encircling portion that is adapted to surround a portion of the ski boot, or leg above the foot, and wherein there is provided a unique means for fastening the device to the ski binding and boot.

D United States Patent 1191 1111 3,765,694 Allsop Oct. 16, 1973 [54] SAFETY HARNESS 0R STRAP FOR SKI 3,549,163 12/1970 Wiedermann 280/11.35 N

BOOTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Ivor J- Allsop, Bellingham, Wash- 1,182,562 11/1964 Germany 280/1 1.35 N [22] Filed: Oct. 21, 1971 Primary ExaminerBenjamin Hersh [21] Appl 191313 Assistant ExaminerMi1ton L. Smith Attorney-Sherman Levy [52] US. Cl 280/l1.35 N, 24/206 A, 24/208 A [51] Int. C1. A630 9/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 280/l1.35 N, 11.36,

280M135 P 1135 Q; 24/ 7 A 17 AP 20 A strap arrangement for Skl bindings that 11'1C1UC16S a A 208 A vertical member or portion as well as an encircling portion that is adapted to surround a portion of the ski [56] References Cited boot, or leg above the foot, and wherein there is pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vided a unique means for fastening the device to the ski binding and boot. 3,542,999 7/1969 Salomon 280/11.35 N 3,414,282 12/1968 Salomon 280/11.35 N 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 16, .1973 3,765,694

IN VENTOR Ivom I. ALLsoP 9 tag-Y @ag-s BY 64 ATTORNEY SAFETY HARNESS OR STRAP FOR SKI BOOTS This invention relates to ski equipment and more particularly to a safety harness or strap for ski bindings.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety strap or harness for ski bindings in order to prevent the ski from running away in the event it goes off of the user or wearer.

Another object is to provide a safety harness that can be easily and conveniently connected in place or removed from the ski boot and binding, and wherein the present invention will greatly facilitate the putting on or removal of bindings.

Still another object is to provide a device of the character described that is economical to manufacture, efficient in operation, and which is rugged in structure and fool-proof in use.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device of the character described that is economical to produce, durable in form, and conducive to the most economical use of materials and uniformity of members formed therefrom.

Still further objects and adjvantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, illustrating the present invention on ski bindings and a boot.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention with the parts separated away from the attaching means on the ski binding.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the strap showing the ball snap.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a portion of the connecting means for the strap and heel clamp.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front view of the construction of FIG. 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the safety harness or safety strap of the present invention, FIG. 1, while the numeral 11 indicates a portion of a conventional ski and the numeral 12 indicates a ski boot that is adapted to be held in place by heel and toe clamps 13 and 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the harness or attachment 10 includes a generally vertical strap portion 15 that embodies an upstanding section or portion 16 that has retainer 17 on the lower end thereof and the retainer 17 is provided with a grooved portion 18 for engaging or receiving a bracket or yoke 19 that is suitably affixed to the heel clamp 14. The retainer 17 includes a horizontally disposed section 9 and an upstanding portion 8. The portion 8 has a key slot 7 therein, and the key slot 7 includes a narrow portion 6 as well as a circular portion 5. The numeral 4 indicates a ball that is mounted on a shank portion 3, and the shank portion 3 is formed integral with or secured to the portion 16, and the ball 4 is adapted to selectively engage the slot 7.

Arranged on the upper end of the strap portion 16 is a sleeve portion or collar portion 20 to receive therein a portion of a generally horizontally disposed strap element 21. Shoulders 22 on the strap element 21 define therebetween a recessed portion 23 for snugly receiving therein the collar 20 on the upper end of the strap 16, FIG. 6.

There is provided a ball member 24 on one end portion 25 of the strap 21, and the ball member 24 is adapted to selectively engage key slots 26 in the portion 28 of the strap 21. The numeral 27 indicates an outwardly flaring portion on the end of the strap 21 for a purpose to be later described.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a safety harness for ski bindings and in use, with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, the ski boot, such as the boot 12, is adapted to be positioned on a ski, such as the ski 11, so that the toe and heel portions of the boot 12 are engaged by clamps such as the clamps l4 and 13. The safety harness 10 is arranged so that its vertical strap portion 15 has its lower grooved section 18 arranged in engagement with the retainer 19 on the clamp 13. The upper portion 15 is shaped to device a loop 20, and the loop 20 snugly receives therein the recessed portion 23 of the horizontal strap 21. Shoulders or enlargements 22 help maintain the parts 20 and 21 in their proper assembled position.

The strap 21 includes the portion 25 that has the ball 24 thereon, and the strap 21 further includes the portion 28 that has a plurality of key slots 26 therein for selectively receiving or engaging the ball 24, as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, the strap 21 includes the outwardly flaring portion 27 which permits the user to readily use his fingers for gripping or fastening or unfastening the strap.

It is to be understood that the parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sides, as desired or required.

It will, therefore, be seen that there has been provided a safety strap arrangement for ski bindings. It is generally required that there be provided some type of safety strap or attachment from the binding to the user or person in order to keep the skis from running away in case the ski comes off. At the present time, these are generally made of straps or buckles of various types, and all are quite difficult to fasten when a person is bottled up in heavy ski clothing in the cold, and the like. Generally, such devices tangle around the bindings and are quite often interlaced under the skis, and are quite difficult to untangle and get properly wrapped around the ankle so they can be buckled. Furthermore, the buckles are very difficult and usually require the user to take off his or her mittens in order to operate the same.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a strap 10 that is attached to the binding on the ski and the strap is made of a suitable material so that it will carry its own weight and stand erect. The strap around the ankle will also stand erect or semierect in the position as shown, so that when a person puts his or her foot into the ski binding, the strap is normally within easy reach.

Also, there is provided an improved fastening for the strap which consists of a ball member 24 that is fastened to one end 25 of the strap 21, and there is'provided key shaped openings 26 on the other end of the strap so that it is only necessary to press the strap over the ball in order to fasten the same. The device does not have to be tightened up or cinched up because when the ski comes off, the pull on the strap will then make the ball slide down the socket, down the key way to a position where it cannot come off. This can be very easily accomplished even when the user has heavy mittens on his hands.

Furthermore, in order to remove the strap, it is only necessary to pull the tab end 27, which has an enlarged portion to facilitate the holding on thereof when pulling the same, and then the ball 24 slides to the enlarged end and will easily come off. Furthermore, this arrangement provides additional slak in the strap and makes it safer, because the strap cannot be tightened tightly around the foot or ankle. If the strap could be tightened tightly around the ankle and the strap in back were too tight, it would interfere with the release action of the safety binding.

The device can be made of any suitable material such as a rubber like Polyurethane, of a suitable size or duraability, so that the strap will latch onto the ball with the proper amount of tension to assure that it locks and does not accidently come off during normal skiing.

With further reference to the retainer 17 illustrated in H08. 7 and 8, it will be noted that the retainer 17 is adapted to selectively engage the member 19 on the heel clamp 13 and thus, a unique, efficient clamping or connecting means is provided between the strap 15 and the heel clamp 13. The ball 4 and shank 13 cooperate with the key slot 7 so that when desired, the portion 8 can be separated from the ball 4 in order to free or remove the entire strap from the member 19 on the heel clamp 13. Similarly, when the parts are in their assembled operative position, the configuration of the ball 4 and associated parts is such that the'parts will not accidently separate so that the strap will remain properly connected in place.

It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to any particular material.

The present invention will improve acceptability to skiing because it will make bindings easier to put on and off, and this is important to many people, especially older people who have a difficult time in the cold and wet or when conditions are slippery, due to the untangling and wrapping of their safety straps.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

I claim:

1. In a safety harness for ski equipment, including a ski boot, and heel and toe clamp, said safety harness comprising a bracket on the heel clamp, a vertical strap including a retainer on its lower end having a groove for engaging said bracket, said retainer comprising a horizontally disposed portion and an upstanding portion, said upstanding portion having a key slot therein, a ball on a shank connected to the vertical strap, and said ball adapted to selectively engage the key slot, said key slot including a narrow portion and a generally circular portion, a loop on the upper end of the vertical strap, a horizontal strap element having a portion extending through the loop, shoulders on the horizontal strap adjacent the loop, said shoulders defining therebetween a recessed portion, said horizontal strap including an end portion having a ball member thereon, the opposite end portion of the horizontal strap having a plurality of key slots therein, the portion of the horizontal strap with the key slots having an outwardly flaring end portion provided with an enlargement thereon.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the harness has a construction so that the vertical strap member has a tendency to remain upright. 

1. In a safety harness for ski equipment, including a ski boot, and heel and toe clamp, said safety harness comprising a bracket on the heel clamp, a vertical strap including a retainer on its lower end having a groove for engaging said bracket, said retainer comprising a horizontally disposed portion and an upstanding portion, said upstanding portion having a key slot therein, a ball on a shank connected to the vertical strap, and said ball adapted to selectively engage the key slot, said key slot including a narrow portion and a generally circular portion, a loop on the upper end of the vertical strap, a horizontal strap element having a portion extending through the loop, shoulders on the horizontal strap adjacent the loop, said shoulders defining therebetween a recessed portion, said horizontal strap including an end portion having a ball member thereon, the opposite end portion of the horizontal strap having a plurality of key slots therein, the portion of the horizontal strap with the key slots having an outwardly flaring end portion provided with an enlargement thereon.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the harness has a construction so that the vertical strap member has a tendency to remain upright. 